Effects of biological geotextiles on aboveground biomass production in selected agro-ecosystems

► The effects of using geotextile mats on the biomass of crops and weeds were studied. ► In Lithuania, imported geotextiles were used on perennial grassland. ► In China, Thailand and Vietnam, Borassus mats and other biological geotextiles were constructed. ► Maize stalk, bamboo, rice and wheat straw...

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Published in:Field crops research 2012-02, Vol.126, p.23-36
Main Authors: Bhattacharyya, R., Yi, Zheng, Yongmei, Li, Li, Tang, Panomtaranichagul, M., Peukrai, S., Thu, Dao Chau, Cuong, Tran Huu, Toan, Truong Thi, Jankauskas, B., Jankauskiene, G., Fullen, M.A., Subedi, M., Booth, C.A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
aboveground biomass
Aboveground biomass production
agroecosystems
bamboos
beans
Biological geotextiles
biomass production
Borassus
climatic factors
corn
corn stover
corn straw
erosion control
field experimentation
geotextiles
grain yield
grasses
highlands
Lablab
Lithuania
Palm mats
planting
rice straw
soil erosion
soil water
South-East Asia
sweetcorn
wheat straw
Zea mays
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Summary:► The effects of using geotextile mats on the biomass of crops and weeds were studied. ► In Lithuania, imported geotextiles were used on perennial grassland. ► In China, Thailand and Vietnam, Borassus mats and other biological geotextiles were constructed. ► Maize stalk, bamboo, rice and wheat straw mats were used on arable soils under highlands. ► Biomass was about 6–53% higher in plots with biological geotextiles than without. Biological geotextiles have considerable potential for soil erosion control, but few studies have been completed on their effects on aboveground biomass production. Hence, field experiments were conducted to investigate the hypothesis that the use of geotextile mats would increase aboveground biomass. We investigated the crop and weed aboveground biomass at four international sites (in China, Thailand, Vietnam and Lithuania). These sites were selected due to the severity of soil erosion problems and feasibility of using biological geotextiles in highlands. In Lithuania, imported Borassus and Buriti mats and indigenous wheat straw mats were used on roadside slopes. In China, Thailand and Vietnam, both Borassus mats and other biological geotextiles were constructed using indigenous local materials (bamboo, rice straw, wheat straw and maize stalks). Results show that biomass production was ∼6 to 53% higher in plots with biological geotextiles compared with the plots with no geotextile treatment. In Lithuania, cover of Borassus and Buriti mats during 2006–2007 increased perennial grass productivity by ∼50 and 18%, respectively, compared with plots with no cover (5.29 Mg ha −1). In China, plots with contour planting covered by rice straw mats had ∼29% higher wheat yield than the plots with no geotextile treatment (1.98 Mg ha −1). Likewise, rice straw, Borassus and maize stalk mat-cover on the plots with no geotextile treatment had significant effects in increasing yields of faber bristle grass (by ∼52%) and maize by 18% and 14% in two separate experiments in China. In Thailand, results (May 2007–June 2008) showed that plots under contour planting mulched with bamboo mats had ∼40 and 26% higher ( P < 0.05) sweet corn ( Zea mays) and lablab bean ( Lablab purpureous) yields, respectively, than plots under contour planting only. Plots under contour planting (without a geotextile cover) had 2.5 and 0.61 Mg ha −1 of sweet corn and lablab bean grain yield production, respectively. In Vietnam, Borassus, maize stalk and bamboo mat cover on bare
ISSN:0378-4290
1872-6852
DOI:10.1016/j.fcr.2011.09.006